Scott Steele Heads New Office of Research Alliances

March 16, 2010

Scott Steele, former acting director of the Office of Corporate Alliances, has been named the director of the University's new Office of Research Alliances.

Steele's appointment is part of a broader multi-year effort to enhance support for science and engineering research activities and the translation of research results into technologies that benefit society. Formerly the Office of Corporate Alliances, the Office of Research Alliances has expanded functions to have a University-wide role in helping to identify and enhance strategic research partnerships between the University's research community and industry, government agencies and laboratories, and other academic institutions.

"I'm pleased that Scott will be our new director of the Office of Research Alliances," says Edward Puzas, the senior associate dean for basic research at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "Our Medical Center has been quite good at reading the trends in biomedical research and as such has been a leader in translational research, transforming technologies and partnering with the corporate world. Scott's appointment is another example of how seriously we take opportunities for public and private partnerships."

"The University takes very seriously the importance of efficiently developing for
the broader benefit of society the many valuable technologies discovered by its faculty in the course of their research," says Paul Slattery, dean of research. "I look forward to continuing to work with Scott, as Director of the Office of Research Alliances, in furthering this important aspect of the University's overall mission."

"Scott brings a national perspective to this office," says Thomas Pearson, senior associate dean for clinical research. "The Rochester Clinical and Translational Science Institute has already partnered with him to provide a conference on personalized medicine and Dr. Steele and I co-moderated part of the medical student course, 'Process of Discovery.' We look forward to a very active collaboration as we depend on the Office of Research Alliances to serve as our public-private partnership."

Under Steele's direction, the office will focus on multi-disciplinary science and technology themes including biomedical research, translational medicine, imaging and optics, energy research, nanotechnology, health computing and other areas that represent research priorities for the University.

"I look forward to the opportunity to develop this new office and work with the university leadership and researchers to foster multidisciplinary strategic research collaborations," says Steele. "The office is focused on enhancing existing partnerships and creating new alliances between the University's research community and the private sector, government agencies, and other research institutions. This will build on several of our core strengths and research priorities."

Prior to joining the University in 2008, Steele served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, as a representative of the National Science and Technology Council and later as the executive director of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). PCAST provides advice and recommendations to the President on a range of science and technology issues and Steele coordinated PCAST studies exploring issues in personalized medicine, nanotechnology, energy technologies, and approaches to enhance university-private sector-government research partnerships.

Steele began his training as a scientist, completing research in diverse areas from bioremediation to mammalian genetics with research experience in academia, industry and the federal government. Steele completed his doctorate in molecular biology from Princeton University, and was also a science policy research associate at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

About the University of Rochester
The University of Rochester (www.rochester.edu) is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.